School First, Marriage Later
Mariam and Sitan, both 16, live in Mande community in Mali. Apart from their friendship, the girls share something else: both were promised in marriage during the COVID-19 school closures.
From Bully to Ally: The Boy Preventing Period Shaming
13-year-old Cephas is challenging myths & stigma surrounding menstruation.
Guinea’s Girl Leaders Raise Awareness About Menstrual Hygiene
“Menstrual hygiene is a taboo in our country, no one wishes to address it publicly for fear of being criticised or even rejected because of the social constraints in our country,” says Kadiatou, one of the members of the Guinea Girl Leaders Club which is supported by Plan International. Menstrual hygiene concerns the dignity and […]
Girls Caught in the Crossfire: Fear and Violence in Cameroon
“One morning, my mother sent me to buy rice from one of the few shops in the village that were still open. I walked to the store along the narrow paths, which had become empty and lonely. When I entered the store, the shopkeeper dragged me to the back and forced himself on me. This […]
Adolescent Girls in Cameroon on Conflict & Covid-19
GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN IN CAMEROON ARE DEALING WITH A DOUBLE THREAT OF CONFLICT AND COVID-19, WHICH RISKS THEIR SECURITY, EDUCATION, AND HEALTH. PLAN INTERNATIONAL SPOKE TO ADOLESCENT GIRLS IN THE REGION ABOUT THEIR LIVES, EXPERIENCES & ASPIRATIONS. North-West and South West (NWSW) Cameroon has been in conflict since September 2017, when tensions between Anglophone […]
Syria 10 Years On: Stories From Azraq Refugee Camp
TEN YEARS ON FROM THE START OF THE CONFLICT IN SYRIA, LIFE FOR GIRLS AND WOMEN HAS CHANGED IMMEASURABLY. WHETHER THEY REMAIN IN SYRIA OR HAVE FLED OVERSEAS, COUNTLESS LIVES HAVE BEEN DEVASTATED BY A DECADE OF CIVIL WAR. In Jordan, Azraq refugee camp is now home to more than 35,000 refugees from Syria. Since […]
The FGM Cutters Abandoning the Practice in Guinea
THE 6TH OF FEBRUARY IS THE INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ZERO TOLERANCE FOR FGM. IN THE WEST AFRICAN NATION OF GUINEA, FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM) IS A ‘NORMAL’ AND WIDESPREAD PRACTICE – 96% OF WOMEN AND ADOLESCENT GIRLS HAVE BEEN CUT. Until recently, Kadiatou and Aissatou earned their living as traditional cutters, however since Plan International […]
Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Girls in Guinea
Fatoumata, 20, is a young activist who is working to promote and protect the rights of girls in her community. As president of her local girls’ club, Fatoumata uses her leadership and influencing skills to campaign against all forms of gender-based violence. “The girls’ club was set up in 2018 and since then, we have […]
Disability Inclusion in GBV Programming
It is estimated that 1 billion people around the world live with a disability, with approximately 80% of those with disabilities living in developing countries, according to the UN Development Programme. For people living in development and humanitarian contexts, poverty, natural disasters, conflict, and limited access to healthcare are some of the factors which can cause or exacerbate disabilities. Across the […]
Quality, Inclusive Education and COVID-19 Prevention in Mali
PLAN INTERNATIONAL, WITH FUNDING FROM IRISH AID, IS CONTINUING TO ENSURE CHILDREN CAN ACCESS EDUCATION DURING THE PANDEMIC & IS WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES TO PREVENT COVID-19 TAKING HOLD. Plan International Ireland, funded by Irish Aid, is working with Plan International Mali to deliver the EQuIP Programme – ensuring the delivery of inclusive, quality education to […]
